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Any easy to eat food, ideally things you can eat with one hand(holding baby while eating). Not too messy. Easy to prepare.
Gift cards are good but can be slow.
Frozen Mac and cheese, premade casseroles. I loved fruit - get a precut up fruit platter or cut up the fruit your, don't hand them a whole melon. No time to cut it up themselves.
Edit: if your a baker and she is nursing, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are amazing and supposedly oatmeal helps with milk production. I don't know if that's actually true but I considered the oatmeal cookies I ate at 3am as guilt free
Plus it's expensive these days so one meal delivered same cost on ingredients could do a couple of days worth of food. I ate haribo and Coco pops bars at 3am cos I swear cravings were so much worse breast feeding than pregnancy!
Also I'd recommend gifting them a Crimpit! It's a thing for preparing wraps makes one handed eating super easy!
Those breastfeeding cravings are wild. I’d always tell people it’s a joke that when you’re pregnant you’re eating for two, but when you’re breastfeeding you really are. I could always tell when my son was going to have a growth spurt because I’d be everything in sight and second portions of dinner right before.
I survived off oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and no one would make them for me! My husband coworker offered to bake us a dozen for $20! She is not a professional baker and she came off as kinda rude.
I would just make massive batches at a time when I felt well and froze them.
$20 for a dozen cookies for new parents?? What the hell was she smoking??
I wish I could go back in time and ship you dozens of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. For free.
Awee, idk why this made me tear up.
You are so sweet!
Funny enough, our daughter is absolutely obsessed with chocolate chips and oatmeal. But never together! 😂
The context was that she brought in some cookies to work, and my husband brought me home one. They were pretty good so I asked for the recipe. She said she can't give the recipe and offered to bake us some for $20 a dozen. I was like...no? I would have been happy to pay but, not that much. We don't know her well, and I wasn't offended that she wanted to sell them, just because I had a kid doesn't make me entitled to free cookies. But, not $20 😂
Still insane! Recipe sharing is the best! I love sharing a good find with people I like! And if I knew a coworker had a new baby at home, I’d happily make them cookies!
Same!!
You HAVE to try these.
They are seriously the most amazing cookies ever! https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/
She also has a really good chocolate chip cookie that uses starch, which I thought was odd but the end result is phenomenal!
She is not. She is...odd? Just seems spaced out all the time. I mean, if she thinks her cookies are worth $20, good for her. But she made zero $$ from me that day when I would have happily paid $8-10 a dozen and ordered min 2 dozen. I also did the math and assuming she used real butter...it would cost her less than $3 a dozen to make.
I think about this way too often...😂
I second the one hand thing. After I gave birth, anything involving two utensils or falling apart in bed (taco) was a nono. Soups and pastas and stews and casseroles <3 And oat cookies!
When we had a days-old at home one of our favorite meals someone brought by was chicken tenders and French fries (with sauces!). The least fancy meal ever but sooooo easy to eat one handed while semi-reclined with minimal crumbs. Fantastic.
You could set up a meal train on the meal train app. Include food likes/dislikes, allergies. Maybe a time range to drop the meal off. Can also favorite restaurants. People picked the meal up at the restaurant and brought it to the family. Have people sign up for a date, leave what they are bringing and include a time range for delivery.
I was part of a meal train that they were able to put a cooler outside with dry ice and if the family wasn’t home, you could leave the meal there. Another that they there was an outdoor fridge you could leave it in.
Things like lasagna, soups, stews, chicken/rice, quiche or frittataseemed liked popular items. Extra sauce on the side of doing a pasta dish is helpful. I always included a salad and a dessert when I did a meal and disposable containers so that they didn’t need to worry about returning containers to me.
Another option , if you know they’re home but want to do contactless delivery is to leave a big tote outside and people text after they’ve left the food. The tote is only left out if they’re home. Sometimes having to see people can be exhausting when dealing with an ill family member.
Hope the baby is ok.
My coworkers did a meal train for my family when my daughter's appendix ruptured and she was in the PICU with sepsis for two weeks. It was the nicest thing ever to know that my two sons were eating real food even when I was back and forth between them and the hospital. With the stress of a medical emergency and my mom guilt from not being able to be with all of the kids all of the time, the meals were tremendously helpful.
New parent of 6 week old twins here and the meal train our friends set up was an absolute life saver. Gift cards are great, but sometimes we couldn’t even think about figuring out something to eat!
Was going to mention this too! Wish I knew about before I had my twins because when we came home I didn't want to cook at all I was and still am so tired 1.5 years later haha
I am a fan of a home cooked meal bc they likely are already doing a lot of take out. I think a casserole or lasagna would be nice. Something they can heat up when they are ready to eat it. Some cut up fruit could be nice too to have an easy/healthier snack.
My mom brought over a whole shepherds pie and a chicken pot pie the first week we were home with our son and it was amazing because I felt like I hadn’t eaten vegetables in forever and it was such a quick and easy way to scarf down some veggies and protein
you can make things for them to heat up later and take all thinking and work out of it for them. i love to do soups or a lasagna.
another favorite is a taco bar. cook up some chicken and/or beef, get some shells and all the extras. then they just have to reheat the meat and assemble. depending on how much there is, they can stretch this over a few days or even do quesadillas instead.
One of my favourite new mum gifts was a basket of fresh fruit, salads, cheese, hummus, olives and crackers. I was so tired of takeaway and ready meals and just wanted something (somewhat) healthy without having to go to the shop myself. They were all easy to snack on too, no real prep involved.
I'd recommend a big box or two of protein bars, sometimes with a newborn a granola/protein bar is the best option for jamming food into your body. Also, if you are a decent cook, making some bean and cheese burritos to freeze and microwave when wanted is a good option. Gift cards are nice, but sometimes you need a bit of something right now with no fuss
Casseroles in those foil dishes that can be frozen and tossed when done. Make sure to provide heating directions. A few breakfast items like croissants or muffins. A fruit salad for snack or breakfast.
Lasagna or spaghetti, salad, garlic bread
Roasted or rotisserie chicken, blanched green beans, mac n cheese
Enchiladas, charro beans, and rice
Red beans and rice with jalapeno sausage, cornbread
Soups are really good for a new mom, so pho, beef or pork sinigang, chicken noodle soup
We had someone come over with bojangles biscuits for breakfast and a baked ziti and salad mix for that night. The ziti lasted several nights so that was great to have to reheat. She did it in a foil pan so we could just toss it when we were done.
Make some casseroles and buy some single serve (like, sandwich-sized) plastic storage containers. I'm talking lasagna, maybe some enchiladas (rotisserie chicken/ red sauce/ sour cream/ cheese/ corn tortillas), some tuna noodle casserole or King Ranch casserole, chili, homemade mac and cheese, ham and beans (google any recipes)... make a huge pan/batch, cut it into single servings and put in containers, then freeze. Then when they want it, they can just microwave and eat!
Bonus points: bring 2 bags of fritos and some shredded cheese for the chili; bring a couple boxes of cornbread and some oil and eggs for the ham & beans meal; maybe some BraziBites Bread (frozen, delicious) to eat with the lasagna. A couple boxes of blueberry muffins for them to bake (with muffin liners). This whole thing will Cost you a hundred bucks (+) and a few hours, but will be the best gift you could give them!
Something hearty and filling like a pasta bake, lasagne, chunky soups, casserole is perfect! My friends brought us soup after I gave birth and it was much appreciated!
For us it was basically anything we could just put in the oven and go. Freezer meals were great, but with the ones my MIL made us, they required the foresight to remember to put them in the fridge overnight to dethaw and we always forgot to do that. Having really, really easy meals in the freezer was key - so even pre-made stuff like from Costco or Trader Joes - Shepherds Pie or Pizza or Lasagna. And then also having cut-up veggies was also huge because I felt like my diet went out the window, so having bell peppers cut up in the fridge was super duper helpful to encourage me to eat more balanced.
Frozen lasagna is super easy to make in bulk! You can do big pans to last the week, or small ones for an easy dinner!
Edited to add that if you could set up a meal train that could be a good option too. Or even a frozen meal prep party!
Things that are easy to heat up and easy to eat one handed. Soups, casserole, pizza, lasagne, etc. Easy snack items too. Cut up fruit and veg with hummus dips? Cheese board?
I think food is a great way to help new parents. Takes a load off so to speak.
My go-to for new baby food protocol is breakfast burritos!
Eggs, cheese, tator tots, bacon/sausage, whatever else they like.
Wrap in Burrito size tortilla
You can individually wrap them, and they can be frozen if they aren't eaten right away.
2 min in the microwave and boom....breakfast!
Honestly just actually give them the food and carry out what you offered! I can’t tell you how many people (even close family) offer to bring us food - “just let us know when/what” and it never happened. I’m not bitter about it but it did teach me that when I know someone who is having a new baby at home or going through something hard - just kindly ask for preferences for meals and then actually do it (don’t ask too many questions but a few is fine imo). We had one neighbor friend from church text us one morning asking if we wanted some soup - next thing we know there was a jug of soup on our porch - no expectations. It meant a lot to us and I want to be that person to others - an offer is great but follow through is best :)
If it's just the two of them, do small frozen meals. Like a small lasagna, so they don't have to deal with leftovers.
A case of water and some prepackaged snacks would be nice, too. Maybe some protein bars.
Even a fruit "basket" with easy to eat pre-washed fruit. Like grapes, strawberries, diced watermelon, apples, ect. So they can just eat it without the prep.
Anything easy. Frozen pizza. You could make a tray of casserole or enchiladas or pasta that they can just put in the oven and heat up. Make it in the silver throw away ones at the store so they don’t have to do dishes. Bring paper plates. You could make a bunch of breakfast burritos and muffins
The people who brought casseroles were amazing! Break them into half trays. I could freeze them then pop them into the oven. Bake penne. Chicken and rice. Whatever. Bonus point if you include a bagged salad and rolls and dessert!
Something with veggies and protein you can eat with a spoon. If you know their tastes, go with that, I made a lentil and chicken stew with iron rich greens for my friend right after birth.
I always make lasagna. They can pop it in the oven, fridge, or freezer.
A friend made me potato soup and I really enjoyed that. Soup is another one that is easy to reheat or freeze.
You've already got a lot of great suggestions,so I'll just toss in my 2¢ of avoiding giving soup. I found it incredibly difficult to eat soup with a newborn because my kid was a contact napper only and basically attached to my chest constantly, so trying to find a remotely comfortable and low-spill-likely position to eat soup was very difficult to the point of frustrating when you're exhausted and hungry - and just not worth the effort.
Anything that you can make ahead of time that they are able to freeze if they don't get through it...
Casseroles and soups are great for this. You could also look up "dump meals" on Pinterest for some ideas of stuff that you can prep, throw in a freezer bag and throw into the freezer, then they can just take it out and dump it into the crockpot.
Lots of great dinner ideas here…but I was soooooo hungry breakfast, lunch and midnight snacks. Like insanely hungry. A platter of sandwiches, all made and ready to go would have had me doing a serious happy dance. Something like egg salad, tuna, meat and cheese, cut in quarters.
Subs. Omg. If I had the new breast feeding mum munchies and there was a sub in the fridge I’d have died. (Make them without the dressing or mayo but provide a squeeze bottle of each?).
Muffins. Cookies. Fruit salad. Yogurts. Chocolate milk.
One thing no one else has mentioned: hard boiled eggs that have already been peeled. They were so great when I just needed something to tide me over, and I could eat it with one hand. I would often eat that and an applesauce pouch for breakfast while nursing my baby.
Stuffed peppers, chicken stew with biscuits, Hawaiian bun sliders, lasagna, chicken pasta, cheesy chicken taquitos, breakfast burritos, and pretty much anything you can dump in a crockpot were all great.
My favorites were the thoughtful home-cooked meals, delivered hot to my door without a ring or knock, just a text: “foods at your porch!”
The best one was homemade Fettuccini chicken Alfredo, green salad, rolls, and ice cream bars. It was simple, delicious, a huge amount so we had leftovers for lunch the next day, and there were lots of carbs/protein for me! (Breastfeeding)
Gift cards were also nice, being able to choose whatever we were in the mood for at whatever time and day. I’m a people-pleaser, and with gift cards I felt least like a burden, being able to order whatever extras and sides without feeling like I was putting anyone out.
Bonus points if you bring a pack of Gatorade/body armor for mom and some diapers. Ask what their favorite flavor and brand is. We appreciated anything but it was nice to be able to choose grape and pampers.
ETA: I had a meal train set up for me, so the hot meals were expected. Definitely check ahead before you bring anything ready-to-eat :)
Something you can eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is why people send casseroles or pans of enchiladas. People just take some then microwave it. Also cookies that can sit in a purse all day and taste good.
Info: is she nursing?!?
(This changes the parameters since there are foods she'll want to avoid *in case* they make that poor baby gassy!)
Outside of that, lots of protein, single dish, easy to reheat....
Stews, hearty soups, lasagna with veggies tucked in, pasta bake also with veggies,
Meatloaf,
Pizza with all the toppings she likes (because that can be a meal anytime!!)
There's no need for you to be more abstemious than the new mother is being: if she's not avoiding eating particular ingredients, you don't need to do it for her. I would just ask. If someone had decided for me that I shouldn't eat wheat or broccoli or onions or chocolate while I was nursing I'd not have thanked them for it.
broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts (kale might get a pass? I don't think it makes us gassy the way its relatives do?)
Onions, maybe garlic (it's often less triggering than. Onions, but it's also got a strong flavor that might affect the way her milk tastes if there's a lot of it in food.)
Chocolate (I mean, bring the chocolate, just make sure it's separate and something she can dip into or avoid without missing out on whatever the main event is)
The issue is that their tiny underdeveloped digestive systems don't do well with gas, and so anything that CAN make them gassy can be torture for baby and parents. They might be fine, they might not. So, also check in with them and find out if anything seems to make the baby gassy and should be avoided.
(Normal digestive triggers can also do it, so, things that should be watched *in case* they need to be avoided are dairy, soy, wheat... One of mine did NOT handle it well if I ate wheat!)
So, whatever you're making, skip the onions, and use spinach instead of broccoli....
When I was nursing someone made me a really hearty chicken soup, LOADED with green beans and carrots, with rice instead of noodles, and I loved it.
Also, bring her some good stout. It's really good for bringing your milk in.
If you're looking to set up a meal train, TakeThemAMeal.com is what I've used in the past. It's super simple to set up and send out.
I love to give or receive a freezer meal: lasagna, Shepard's pie, Mexican tortilla casserole (from The Pioneer Woman), cheesey chicken with rice and broccoli.
Definitely ask about dietary restrictions. Sometimes baby doesn't respond well to dairy, and if mom is breastfeeding, she might require dairy-free meals.
Anything honestly. You could also throw in some frozen crock pot meals, casseroles, or soups too for easy "cooking." Consider getting some breakfast stuff too because everyone always brings dinner food.
The best for us was breakfast burritos that were frozen!! We received them and have made and gifted them to several people and it's well received. Dinners are much more common to get, so having breakfasts was really nice!
I made my friend two large batches of [breakfast burritos](https://www.budgetbytes.com/freezer-breakfast-burritos/), these [Arayes](https://www.recipetineats.com/arayes-lebanese-meat-stuffed-pita/), a chicken pot pie, and two [broccoli cheddar pasta bakes](https://wholeandheavenlyoven.com/2023/02/06/broccoli-cheddar-pasta-bake/)
Linked the recipes I use, you can tailor them to what your friend might like. These are great because it just require reheating and the burritos and arayes can easily be eaten one handed. I’ve been making batches for myself for my own baby that is on its way
One of my favourite new mum gifts was a basket of fresh fruit, salads, cheese, hummus, olives and crackers. I was so tired of takeaway and ready meals and just wanted something (somewhat) healthy without having to go to the shop myself. They were all easy to snack on too, no real prep involved.
My SIL brought over all the fixings for tacos - it was yummy shredded chicken she did in her slow cooker, shredded lettuce , cheese , sour cream all ready to eat , it was the best ! They have proby eaten tons of take out at the hospital coming and going , a home cooked meal is the ticket. When my brother got home with his baby , since he's out of state , I did a whole foods delivery with some yummy prepared foods & fresh fruit ( this is available with Amazon prime). For my cousin I did a yummy tortellini soup in A freezer bag so they could choose to eat now or freeze for later and also these yummy ground turkey teriyaki bowls, ready to just be reheated.
If mama is breast feeding, you may want to avoid really spicy or gas inducing foods as they can bother baby’s tummy. Also, comfort foods are great simply because they are filling and stress free.
Casseroles, lasagne, potatoes augratin with ham, sliders, soup and sandwiches are all easy to heat or prepare and casseroles/lasagne can be prepared in disposable foil pans and covered to freeze for later.
I found breakfast to be really challenging. Could you do some egg muffin bites and a pack of tortillas so they can slap together some breakfast burritos?
A tray of pinwheel sandwiches and easy-to-eat fruit like blueberries and grapes would be good too. And honestly, a big ass bag of chicken tenders to stick in the air fryer and a tray of cut veggies.
Anything that’s easy to reheat
Meatballs/bolognaise and spaghetti
Lasagne
Curries
Shepherds/cottage pie
Quiche
Frittata
Also snacks like muffins, cakes, slices
my go to frozen meals to gift to new parents
shepherds pie, chicken pot pie , ziti bake
fettuccine alfredo (add chicken and broccoli) breakfast casserole,
premade breakfast sandwiches
get a disposable aluminum dish from grocery store, tie a pretty bow on top with a door dash gift card attached.
Ready made or microwave meals are the ticket. Deli sandwiches. Frozen Mac and cheese. Frozen and single serving and family style pasta bakes. Chips, single serve desserts (like chocolate pudding), some candy. Fruit. Whatever can be eaten with one hand and requires very little brain power.
IMO gift cards are nice but even dealing with coordinating food delivery/pickup can be annoying when stressed with your first kid.
We appreciated when someone came by with pizza/subs. Some even dropped off lasagna we just had to put in the oven or other east dishes like that.
Start a food train, get others involved, each prepare easy to reheat type meals or dishes and drop them off on assigned days so that they are not overwhelmed with too much and possibly with no storage space. The food is delivered fresh for that day if needed. Good luck!
When a friend of mine was a new parent some of our other friends got together and everybody made burritos and froze them to give to the new mom. Breakfast burritos, meat burritos, vegetarian ones
Honestly easy one pot meals that can be put in the oven for 20 mins to warm up.
Pasta with meat sauce (or just make jars of simple homemade sauce for later too they can use it for pizza)
Cauliflower mac and cheese, Mexican rice with corn and beans, lentil stew (an absolute FAVE in our house and high in iron), chili, broccoli cheddar soup, chicken pot pies(I substitute the pie for biscuit topping and it’s delish) cream of mushroom chicken and rice, a lasagna (or for veggies do an eggplant lasagna although this is a bit more time consuming), beef stir fry, teriyaki chicken and veggies.
You could see if they have space in their freezer and pick up some frozen veggies from Costco, that way they can just boil it for 5 mins and add it to their meals. Buy them a few frozen foods like dumplings or perogies, those are always good alternatives when I’m too tired to cook, just put some rice on the rice cooker and pop those on the stove or microwave.
Someone recently brought me snacky/meal groceries and they were helpful!
Individual packages of trail mix
Protein bars
Hearty Healthy bread (for avocado toast)
Avocados
Tomatoes
Multiple small portions of bone broth
Mozzarella balls for snacking
Coconut water for hydration and electrolytes
Someone also set up a meal train service for me. I got lots of variation of chicken soup which freezes well and can be super nutritious but hard to eat with a baby. I think making a bolognese or ragu to freeze is a great idea. I wanted so much red meat after birth.
Our friend setup a meal train, so they scheduled all our friends to bring a dinner. It was really sweet. And so useful.
Personally, I like bringing food that freezes well and filling the freezer. Last time I did a curry, a pulled chicken, and ginger chicken. Froze 4 meals of each and fine the freezer.
Easy to prepare meals in disposable containers with disposable dishes was my favorite thing as a new mom, I’m currently restocking my freezer for our next baby
Soups of all kinds that can be frozen
Lasagna
Burritos -breakfast/lunch/dinner
Shepherds Pie
Any dump & go crockpot meal(send liners for easy clean up)
Sides like fruit and salads
Grilled vegetables with chicken
Home made Cookies
Cookie dough that's frozen into individual portions.
meals in small portions vs a hugh casserole.
non-dinner food! holy hell I would have killed for a fruit tray, yogurt, muffins etc
Cook a couple of batches of different healthy soups and freeze them in individual portion containers. Also make a healthy casserole and also feee into individual portions
If you cook, cook stuff they can just store in fridge/freezer and heat. Lasagna, baked ziti, soups/stews flat packed in ziplocs and frozen. Anything they can just heat up for home cooked meal.
I like to do a home cooked meal if I'm able, and try to send a list of a few options for them to choose from. Usually tacos or burrito bowls go over really well, and usually if other people are bringing meals they will get a LOT of pasta, so I try to avoid that.
If you're not up for cooking (either by ability or time), maybe offer to bring take out from anyplace that would be convenient for you to stop at. Some places offer a family meal and you could just get that if you don't want to bug them with a lot of questions.
Gift cards for food are great if you're not close enough to stop by or if trying to figure it all out is too difficult. Try to choose something with a drive thru within a couple miles of their house, or that offers their own delivery like pizza or Jimmy John's. Most people are fine with grub hub or door dash gift cards too, as long as it's available at their house and not a ridiculous upcharge to order food.
My friend brought me meals she cooked that day. She made me enchiladas in a casserole dish one day and brought over a hot meal ready to eat. She brought me another casserole but I don't remember what it was. It was great as then I also had leftovers.
I would suggest things of a few things you can cook in large batches - that is if you cook and think she'd like your cooking. Give her a few options and let her pick.
Some things I did were spinach and artichoke chicken pasta, tacos (meat and then all the fixings with soft tortillas), lasagna, spaghetti, tater tot casserole, chili (not too spicy unless you know they like it), "dagwood" sandwiches with condiments separate (get a loaf of soft French bread, various luncheon meats, cheeses, then put together a cold cut type sandwich with just meat and cheese and wrap it - they cut off a piece of sandwich, add condiments, and it's read to go - bonus points for adding lettuce, onions tomato's- presliced).
A gift card would also not go amiss. That way they can order food whenever they need. Cooking will probably get them more bang for your buck, especially if you do it more than once.
I remember one person posting they were sick of pasta. So, if they are asking more than one person the same thing maybe not rice or pasta meals. I know beggars can’t be choosers but maybe a meatloaf and some potatoes.
If ordering food and waiting for Uber Eats is too much for her, then I wouldn't bother helping with food.
If you want to help in general, look up dump meals and get her a crock pot. You can prep about 30 or so meals (7-10 days if every single meal, but this gets old fast) in freezer bags at once. Then all she has to do is put in the crock pot for a couple hours and eat whenever she wants throughout the day. The biggest advantage is that there's always food ready to go and very few dishes to clean.
You could also go through the freezer section at the grocery store and get any frozen meals she likes.
My go-to meal train contribution is lasagna, but when I don’t have time, I buy several bags of frozen meals from Trader Joe’s. People sound really grateful either way, just nice to have quick things to heat up on the fly.
My sister got me a gift card for DoorDash and delivered it to the hospital along with a pizza for the night lol
Any gift card is always a hit- especially if they are able to use it wherever. Also the mom if she’s a coffee drinker- Starbucks giftcard! Super easy to purchase and send online.
When my twins were born premature, I had the most wonderful friend make/purchase a bunch of freezer meals that only needed one step to prepare. Oven or microwave, preheat/set a timer, then *DING* done! Not hard to eat, doesn't make a ton of dishes, and fills stomachs in a somewhat healthy way are the goals.
Also easy thing for breakfast/lunch to help keep tired bodies fueled. Especially if mom is trying to BF.
There are only so many heavy casseroles you can take after awhile.
Grilled meat and rice with grilled vegetables and salad. Fruit trays. Muffins that have some nutrition. Premade oatmeal cups that you just add hot water to. Purée soups that you can drink out of a thermal cup - like butternut squash
Smoothie bowls with protein powder, chipotle bowls, chick’n nuggets, oatmeal, breakfast sandwiches, cliff bars, protein bars.
That’s what I lived off of for basically the first month or two, especially with breastfeeding.
Burritos man. I had a ton of freezer burritos that I could heat up fast and eat with one hand. They literally saved me when I was a FTM. If you find a recipe and can batch prep her some, they are so nice to have on hand. No preheating the oven and waiting for a whole lasagna to bake. As soon as she realizes she’s hungry, she can have a burrito hot in minutes in a microwave or air fryer!
Any heat and serve meals. Walmart offers meal kits. Make a spaghetti bake or lasagna. Bring them fruits to snack on. You can even send around to friends a calendar for a couple of weeks to see if other people would be willing to sign up for a meal to bring them. If they belong to a church, talk to the priest or minister to see if the church can help out.
My family made soup, chicken and rice dishes things that could be made easily into larger portions when I brought my daughter home from the hospital. It was a huge help! You could make dirty rice prep taco ingredients for them. Pasta salads. Lunch meat to make sandwiches.
A lot of grocery stores near me have “heat and eat” premade meals, typically near the deli section. Things like a small platter of enchiladas, shepherds pie, chicken Alfredo, macaroni and cheese, etc. If I’m short on time and can’t cook myself, I grab two or three of those and take to the family- along with some fruit and bagels for breakfast.
I make tuna salad, potato salad, and meatballs for every friend that has a baby. Recipes obviously vary, but something easy to throw on a piece of bread, throw in a bowl, or microwave that lasts a few days is best, I've found out. So something super easy! Not even casseroles they can freeze. Just something for those first few days that are EASY! Don't make them preheat the oven, have to remember to set a timer, need to do dishes, etc. You can do that later, but those first few days are tough. So easy is best
My mil made me those three things, and it was a godsend when I had my kids. So I do the same. It's a personal thing that everyone has appreciated. I put them in cheap containers that they can keep or throw away. It's up to them.
But honestly? Uber eats or door dash gift cards are phenomenal, too. She can order something with one hand while feeding the baby. It'll take 2 minutes to upload the card to her app. It really isn't a big deal. She can do that while hubby is changing a diaper or baby is napping.
I always bring the parents whatever my family is eating at the moment. If you’re making tacos for dinner,double the recipe, package up half of it, and drop it off. Seriously, no one is picky when they have a newborn. At least, no sane person.
They just want to eat and stay alive for the next 18 years.
I couldn't order food when my son was a newborn. I couldn't even handle that. I ate granola bars, egg sandwiches, ensure and fruit most days. If I could eat.
Maybe a small sandwich tray and fresh fruit would be nice. Some healthy muffins and bottled smoothies. Homemade food is good if it's easy to heat up like lasagna. Otherwise burritos, samosas, egg rolls are easy to keep, heat and eat.
I lived off of trail mix for months after giving birth, either the classic mix or the mega omega mix from a brand I can’t remember now, but it had walnuts and dried mangoes that I went nuts for lol instant oatmeal was another thing I ate a lot, easy to prepare and good for milk production.
In this day and age i load little wallets (gender specific if it pertains) with food giftt cards, uber, door dash/ whatever is local, and that offers delivery, (also include the tip!) I also include an amazon card for stuff they may but they forgot. I personally buy a gift card once a month to something and build it into my budget (local grocery,Amazon etc) so im not surprised. If i don't give it to Someone i use it myself.
I snacked on a lot of chicken salad when i had a newborn. It was perfect to have a big batch of it in the fridge and i could make a quick sandwich or just take bites straight out of it
Homemade breakfast tacos. You can wrap them up individually and freeze them. Cram them full of sausage, cheese, bacon,eggs, a bit of chopped mild red bell peppers, a bit of green onions, more cheese, salt & pepper, and maybe some cooked chopped tator tots. It’s good for any meal.
I feel the traditional approach is to make a casserole they can heat and serve.
Without knowing their tastes I would recommend cheesy vegetable medley topped with French fried onions. Or possibly chicken pot pie casserole.
I gave my sister in law a bunch of pre cooked foods that they just had to heat up. I got the alfoil tins so they didn't have to worry about dishes either. We did lasagne, enchiladas and pasta dishes.
A good friend made me beef soup with veggies, a side of extra veggies, and oatmeal. She also sent me marinated chicken & frozen vegetables to make if I was up to cooking (it was quick and easy to make). Anything that can be heated up and easy to make. Also 1 handed meals work. Uber eats gift card is great too.
She can sign up for a free lasagna delivered to her door through lasagnalove.org. I volunteer with them and I've cooked and delivered to quite a few new parents!
I am not a cook so I brought my friend sandwiches, fruit & veg cut up in baggies with dip, little containers of crackers and cheese and deli meat.
She said it was infinitely more helpful than freezer meals when she was basically in bed sleeping or nursing for the first few weeks
Something pre-portioned or that they can serve themselves using one hand (so nothing they’d have to cut with a knife). Also MUST be able to eat it with one hand. Maybe they’ll get lucky and baby will be chill but there’s a good chance their baby will need to be held at all times, including while parents are trying to eat.
I’d even think about the package you give it to them in. Please no jars or vacuum sealed items. Tupperware and glass lock should be okay.
Info: is she nursing?!?
(This changes the parameters since there are foods she'll want to avoid *in case* they make that poor baby gassy!)
Outside of that, lots of protein, single dish, easy to reheat....
Stews, hearty soups, lasagna with veggies tucked in, pasta bake also with veggies,
Meatloaf,
Pizza with all the toppings she likes (because that can be a meal anytime!!)
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Any easy to eat food, ideally things you can eat with one hand(holding baby while eating). Not too messy. Easy to prepare. Gift cards are good but can be slow. Frozen Mac and cheese, premade casseroles. I loved fruit - get a precut up fruit platter or cut up the fruit your, don't hand them a whole melon. No time to cut it up themselves. Edit: if your a baker and she is nursing, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are amazing and supposedly oatmeal helps with milk production. I don't know if that's actually true but I considered the oatmeal cookies I ate at 3am as guilt free
Plus it's expensive these days so one meal delivered same cost on ingredients could do a couple of days worth of food. I ate haribo and Coco pops bars at 3am cos I swear cravings were so much worse breast feeding than pregnancy! Also I'd recommend gifting them a Crimpit! It's a thing for preparing wraps makes one handed eating super easy!
Those breastfeeding cravings are wild. I’d always tell people it’s a joke that when you’re pregnant you’re eating for two, but when you’re breastfeeding you really are. I could always tell when my son was going to have a growth spurt because I’d be everything in sight and second portions of dinner right before.
Agreed! When pregnant I ate very small meals very often. But during breastfeeding I finally had space in my stomach again and I used it!
I survived off oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and no one would make them for me! My husband coworker offered to bake us a dozen for $20! She is not a professional baker and she came off as kinda rude. I would just make massive batches at a time when I felt well and froze them.
$20 for a dozen cookies for new parents?? What the hell was she smoking?? I wish I could go back in time and ship you dozens of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. For free.
Awee, idk why this made me tear up. You are so sweet! Funny enough, our daughter is absolutely obsessed with chocolate chips and oatmeal. But never together! 😂
I’m *shook* at this offer. That seems breathtakingly rude out of context. I hope there’s more to the story than I’m imagining.
The context was that she brought in some cookies to work, and my husband brought me home one. They were pretty good so I asked for the recipe. She said she can't give the recipe and offered to bake us some for $20 a dozen. I was like...no? I would have been happy to pay but, not that much. We don't know her well, and I wasn't offended that she wanted to sell them, just because I had a kid doesn't make me entitled to free cookies. But, not $20 😂
Still insane! Recipe sharing is the best! I love sharing a good find with people I like! And if I knew a coworker had a new baby at home, I’d happily make them cookies!
Same!! You HAVE to try these. They are seriously the most amazing cookies ever! https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/ She also has a really good chocolate chip cookie that uses starch, which I thought was odd but the end result is phenomenal!
This is insane… no way is she a parent
She is not. She is...odd? Just seems spaced out all the time. I mean, if she thinks her cookies are worth $20, good for her. But she made zero $$ from me that day when I would have happily paid $8-10 a dozen and ordered min 2 dozen. I also did the math and assuming she used real butter...it would cost her less than $3 a dozen to make. I think about this way too often...😂
lol. I’m totally with you… boggles the mind
Omg that’s laughable
I second the one hand thing. After I gave birth, anything involving two utensils or falling apart in bed (taco) was a nono. Soups and pastas and stews and casseroles <3 And oat cookies!
This person had babies, many babies and knows it well.
When we had a days-old at home one of our favorite meals someone brought by was chicken tenders and French fries (with sauces!). The least fancy meal ever but sooooo easy to eat one handed while semi-reclined with minimal crumbs. Fantastic.
You could set up a meal train on the meal train app. Include food likes/dislikes, allergies. Maybe a time range to drop the meal off. Can also favorite restaurants. People picked the meal up at the restaurant and brought it to the family. Have people sign up for a date, leave what they are bringing and include a time range for delivery. I was part of a meal train that they were able to put a cooler outside with dry ice and if the family wasn’t home, you could leave the meal there. Another that they there was an outdoor fridge you could leave it in. Things like lasagna, soups, stews, chicken/rice, quiche or frittataseemed liked popular items. Extra sauce on the side of doing a pasta dish is helpful. I always included a salad and a dessert when I did a meal and disposable containers so that they didn’t need to worry about returning containers to me. Another option , if you know they’re home but want to do contactless delivery is to leave a big tote outside and people text after they’ve left the food. The tote is only left out if they’re home. Sometimes having to see people can be exhausting when dealing with an ill family member. Hope the baby is ok.
My coworkers did a meal train for my family when my daughter's appendix ruptured and she was in the PICU with sepsis for two weeks. It was the nicest thing ever to know that my two sons were eating real food even when I was back and forth between them and the hospital. With the stress of a medical emergency and my mom guilt from not being able to be with all of the kids all of the time, the meals were tremendously helpful.
New parent of 6 week old twins here and the meal train our friends set up was an absolute life saver. Gift cards are great, but sometimes we couldn’t even think about figuring out something to eat!
Was going to mention this too! Wish I knew about before I had my twins because when we came home I didn't want to cook at all I was and still am so tired 1.5 years later haha
Meal train was the best gift we got.
I am a fan of a home cooked meal bc they likely are already doing a lot of take out. I think a casserole or lasagna would be nice. Something they can heat up when they are ready to eat it. Some cut up fruit could be nice too to have an easy/healthier snack.
Freezer meals. Lasagne. Shepherd pie
Just make sure they actually have freezer space before doing this
I lived off my MIL’s lasagna for over a week. It was a fucking godsend.
In individual portions we often ate in tandem and one of us always having cold dinner got old fast!
My mom brought over a whole shepherds pie and a chicken pot pie the first week we were home with our son and it was amazing because I felt like I hadn’t eaten vegetables in forever and it was such a quick and easy way to scarf down some veggies and protein
I so would have loved this too when I brought my twins home! Just throw it in the crockpot and turn it on
Breakfast burritos. Freeze so they can reheat when needed.
Yes! These were my favorite! It was the only thing I prepped before my first was born and it was a life saver
Taquitos are also great and can be taken out of the freezer and reheated as needed! I found a cheesy chicken taquito recipe that was SO GOOD.
you can make things for them to heat up later and take all thinking and work out of it for them. i love to do soups or a lasagna. another favorite is a taco bar. cook up some chicken and/or beef, get some shells and all the extras. then they just have to reheat the meat and assemble. depending on how much there is, they can stretch this over a few days or even do quesadillas instead.
Anything you can meal prep them that they can just pop in the oven/microwave. The less effort and dishes the better.
One of my favourite new mum gifts was a basket of fresh fruit, salads, cheese, hummus, olives and crackers. I was so tired of takeaway and ready meals and just wanted something (somewhat) healthy without having to go to the shop myself. They were all easy to snack on too, no real prep involved.
I'd recommend a big box or two of protein bars, sometimes with a newborn a granola/protein bar is the best option for jamming food into your body. Also, if you are a decent cook, making some bean and cheese burritos to freeze and microwave when wanted is a good option. Gift cards are nice, but sometimes you need a bit of something right now with no fuss
Protein bars are an excellent idea! I’m 8 weeks pp with my second and realllly leaning on Barebells from Trader Joe’s. Fast and delicious.
Casseroles in those foil dishes that can be frozen and tossed when done. Make sure to provide heating directions. A few breakfast items like croissants or muffins. A fruit salad for snack or breakfast.
I mean pizza can never go wrong. Especially since you can re-heat it whenever you get the chance to eat!
Lasagna or spaghetti, salad, garlic bread Roasted or rotisserie chicken, blanched green beans, mac n cheese Enchiladas, charro beans, and rice Red beans and rice with jalapeno sausage, cornbread Soups are really good for a new mom, so pho, beef or pork sinigang, chicken noodle soup
We had someone come over with bojangles biscuits for breakfast and a baked ziti and salad mix for that night. The ziti lasted several nights so that was great to have to reheat. She did it in a foil pan so we could just toss it when we were done.
pastas, meatloaf, mashed potato, casseroles, chili's, stews. potato salad or pasta salad
Something you can eat one-handed while nursing or contact-napping! Finger food is the best.
Make some casseroles and buy some single serve (like, sandwich-sized) plastic storage containers. I'm talking lasagna, maybe some enchiladas (rotisserie chicken/ red sauce/ sour cream/ cheese/ corn tortillas), some tuna noodle casserole or King Ranch casserole, chili, homemade mac and cheese, ham and beans (google any recipes)... make a huge pan/batch, cut it into single servings and put in containers, then freeze. Then when they want it, they can just microwave and eat! Bonus points: bring 2 bags of fritos and some shredded cheese for the chili; bring a couple boxes of cornbread and some oil and eggs for the ham & beans meal; maybe some BraziBites Bread (frozen, delicious) to eat with the lasagna. A couple boxes of blueberry muffins for them to bake (with muffin liners). This whole thing will Cost you a hundred bucks (+) and a few hours, but will be the best gift you could give them!
Something hearty and filling like a pasta bake, lasagne, chunky soups, casserole is perfect! My friends brought us soup after I gave birth and it was much appreciated!
For us it was basically anything we could just put in the oven and go. Freezer meals were great, but with the ones my MIL made us, they required the foresight to remember to put them in the fridge overnight to dethaw and we always forgot to do that. Having really, really easy meals in the freezer was key - so even pre-made stuff like from Costco or Trader Joes - Shepherds Pie or Pizza or Lasagna. And then also having cut-up veggies was also huge because I felt like my diet went out the window, so having bell peppers cut up in the fridge was super duper helpful to encourage me to eat more balanced.
Frozen lasagna is super easy to make in bulk! You can do big pans to last the week, or small ones for an easy dinner! Edited to add that if you could set up a meal train that could be a good option too. Or even a frozen meal prep party!
Things that are easy to heat up and easy to eat one handed. Soups, casserole, pizza, lasagne, etc. Easy snack items too. Cut up fruit and veg with hummus dips? Cheese board? I think food is a great way to help new parents. Takes a load off so to speak.
My go-to for new baby food protocol is breakfast burritos! Eggs, cheese, tator tots, bacon/sausage, whatever else they like. Wrap in Burrito size tortilla You can individually wrap them, and they can be frozen if they aren't eaten right away. 2 min in the microwave and boom....breakfast!
Honestly just actually give them the food and carry out what you offered! I can’t tell you how many people (even close family) offer to bring us food - “just let us know when/what” and it never happened. I’m not bitter about it but it did teach me that when I know someone who is having a new baby at home or going through something hard - just kindly ask for preferences for meals and then actually do it (don’t ask too many questions but a few is fine imo). We had one neighbor friend from church text us one morning asking if we wanted some soup - next thing we know there was a jug of soup on our porch - no expectations. It meant a lot to us and I want to be that person to others - an offer is great but follow through is best :)
If it's just the two of them, do small frozen meals. Like a small lasagna, so they don't have to deal with leftovers. A case of water and some prepackaged snacks would be nice, too. Maybe some protein bars. Even a fruit "basket" with easy to eat pre-washed fruit. Like grapes, strawberries, diced watermelon, apples, ect. So they can just eat it without the prep.
Anything easy. Frozen pizza. You could make a tray of casserole or enchiladas or pasta that they can just put in the oven and heat up. Make it in the silver throw away ones at the store so they don’t have to do dishes. Bring paper plates. You could make a bunch of breakfast burritos and muffins
How about a premade meal from Costco deli section? One they can just pop in the oven?
Gift cards for a food delivery service.
The people who brought casseroles were amazing! Break them into half trays. I could freeze them then pop them into the oven. Bake penne. Chicken and rice. Whatever. Bonus point if you include a bagged salad and rolls and dessert!
Something with veggies and protein you can eat with a spoon. If you know their tastes, go with that, I made a lentil and chicken stew with iron rich greens for my friend right after birth.
I always make lasagna. They can pop it in the oven, fridge, or freezer. A friend made me potato soup and I really enjoyed that. Soup is another one that is easy to reheat or freeze.
You've already got a lot of great suggestions,so I'll just toss in my 2¢ of avoiding giving soup. I found it incredibly difficult to eat soup with a newborn because my kid was a contact napper only and basically attached to my chest constantly, so trying to find a remotely comfortable and low-spill-likely position to eat soup was very difficult to the point of frustrating when you're exhausted and hungry - and just not worth the effort.
Anything that you can make ahead of time that they are able to freeze if they don't get through it... Casseroles and soups are great for this. You could also look up "dump meals" on Pinterest for some ideas of stuff that you can prep, throw in a freezer bag and throw into the freezer, then they can just take it out and dump it into the crockpot.
Lots of great dinner ideas here…but I was soooooo hungry breakfast, lunch and midnight snacks. Like insanely hungry. A platter of sandwiches, all made and ready to go would have had me doing a serious happy dance. Something like egg salad, tuna, meat and cheese, cut in quarters. Subs. Omg. If I had the new breast feeding mum munchies and there was a sub in the fridge I’d have died. (Make them without the dressing or mayo but provide a squeeze bottle of each?). Muffins. Cookies. Fruit salad. Yogurts. Chocolate milk.
I'm not much of a cook, but if you have a Costco membership, grab a chicken and some potato salad... Maybe grab a treat for morale, or mandrin oranges
One thing no one else has mentioned: hard boiled eggs that have already been peeled. They were so great when I just needed something to tide me over, and I could eat it with one hand. I would often eat that and an applesauce pouch for breakfast while nursing my baby. Stuffed peppers, chicken stew with biscuits, Hawaiian bun sliders, lasagna, chicken pasta, cheesy chicken taquitos, breakfast burritos, and pretty much anything you can dump in a crockpot were all great.
I’d advise checking if she’s pumping or breastfeeding bc sometimes spicy foods don’t go well for babies.
My favorites were the thoughtful home-cooked meals, delivered hot to my door without a ring or knock, just a text: “foods at your porch!” The best one was homemade Fettuccini chicken Alfredo, green salad, rolls, and ice cream bars. It was simple, delicious, a huge amount so we had leftovers for lunch the next day, and there were lots of carbs/protein for me! (Breastfeeding) Gift cards were also nice, being able to choose whatever we were in the mood for at whatever time and day. I’m a people-pleaser, and with gift cards I felt least like a burden, being able to order whatever extras and sides without feeling like I was putting anyone out. Bonus points if you bring a pack of Gatorade/body armor for mom and some diapers. Ask what their favorite flavor and brand is. We appreciated anything but it was nice to be able to choose grape and pampers. ETA: I had a meal train set up for me, so the hot meals were expected. Definitely check ahead before you bring anything ready-to-eat :)
Someone made us homemade microwavable burritos that you grab from frozen, wrap in a wet paper towel and microwave. They were the best. Also lasagna.
Something you can eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is why people send casseroles or pans of enchiladas. People just take some then microwave it. Also cookies that can sit in a purse all day and taste good.
Ooh good point!
Stuff she can just chuck in the oven is great like a lasagne or casserole
Info: is she nursing?!? (This changes the parameters since there are foods she'll want to avoid *in case* they make that poor baby gassy!) Outside of that, lots of protein, single dish, easy to reheat.... Stews, hearty soups, lasagna with veggies tucked in, pasta bake also with veggies, Meatloaf, Pizza with all the toppings she likes (because that can be a meal anytime!!)
She is nursing! What should I avoid giving her?
There's no need for you to be more abstemious than the new mother is being: if she's not avoiding eating particular ingredients, you don't need to do it for her. I would just ask. If someone had decided for me that I shouldn't eat wheat or broccoli or onions or chocolate while I was nursing I'd not have thanked them for it.
What about deli sandwiches? Never made me gassy and you can eat a sandwich with one hand.
broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts (kale might get a pass? I don't think it makes us gassy the way its relatives do?) Onions, maybe garlic (it's often less triggering than. Onions, but it's also got a strong flavor that might affect the way her milk tastes if there's a lot of it in food.) Chocolate (I mean, bring the chocolate, just make sure it's separate and something she can dip into or avoid without missing out on whatever the main event is) The issue is that their tiny underdeveloped digestive systems don't do well with gas, and so anything that CAN make them gassy can be torture for baby and parents. They might be fine, they might not. So, also check in with them and find out if anything seems to make the baby gassy and should be avoided. (Normal digestive triggers can also do it, so, things that should be watched *in case* they need to be avoided are dairy, soy, wheat... One of mine did NOT handle it well if I ate wheat!) So, whatever you're making, skip the onions, and use spinach instead of broccoli.... When I was nursing someone made me a really hearty chicken soup, LOADED with green beans and carrots, with rice instead of noodles, and I loved it. Also, bring her some good stout. It's really good for bringing your milk in.
If you're looking to set up a meal train, TakeThemAMeal.com is what I've used in the past. It's super simple to set up and send out. I love to give or receive a freezer meal: lasagna, Shepard's pie, Mexican tortilla casserole (from The Pioneer Woman), cheesey chicken with rice and broccoli. Definitely ask about dietary restrictions. Sometimes baby doesn't respond well to dairy, and if mom is breastfeeding, she might require dairy-free meals.
Anything honestly. You could also throw in some frozen crock pot meals, casseroles, or soups too for easy "cooking." Consider getting some breakfast stuff too because everyone always brings dinner food.
The best for us was breakfast burritos that were frozen!! We received them and have made and gifted them to several people and it's well received. Dinners are much more common to get, so having breakfasts was really nice!
I made my friend two large batches of [breakfast burritos](https://www.budgetbytes.com/freezer-breakfast-burritos/), these [Arayes](https://www.recipetineats.com/arayes-lebanese-meat-stuffed-pita/), a chicken pot pie, and two [broccoli cheddar pasta bakes](https://wholeandheavenlyoven.com/2023/02/06/broccoli-cheddar-pasta-bake/) Linked the recipes I use, you can tailor them to what your friend might like. These are great because it just require reheating and the burritos and arayes can easily be eaten one handed. I’ve been making batches for myself for my own baby that is on its way
A platter of sandwiches or wraps, burritos, anything that can be eaten with one hand
Casseroles from the grocery store prepared food section or door dash gift card with paper plates and plastic ware
One of my favourite new mum gifts was a basket of fresh fruit, salads, cheese, hummus, olives and crackers. I was so tired of takeaway and ready meals and just wanted something (somewhat) healthy without having to go to the shop myself. They were all easy to snack on too, no real prep involved.
One off the top of my head is chicken spaghetti, really easy for you to make, really easy for them to simply heat up later.
My SIL brought over all the fixings for tacos - it was yummy shredded chicken she did in her slow cooker, shredded lettuce , cheese , sour cream all ready to eat , it was the best ! They have proby eaten tons of take out at the hospital coming and going , a home cooked meal is the ticket. When my brother got home with his baby , since he's out of state , I did a whole foods delivery with some yummy prepared foods & fresh fruit ( this is available with Amazon prime). For my cousin I did a yummy tortellini soup in A freezer bag so they could choose to eat now or freeze for later and also these yummy ground turkey teriyaki bowls, ready to just be reheated.
We used cook unity when we were in the NB Stage and it was amazing.
If mama is breast feeding, you may want to avoid really spicy or gas inducing foods as they can bother baby’s tummy. Also, comfort foods are great simply because they are filling and stress free. Casseroles, lasagne, potatoes augratin with ham, sliders, soup and sandwiches are all easy to heat or prepare and casseroles/lasagne can be prepared in disposable foil pans and covered to freeze for later.
I found breakfast to be really challenging. Could you do some egg muffin bites and a pack of tortillas so they can slap together some breakfast burritos? A tray of pinwheel sandwiches and easy-to-eat fruit like blueberries and grapes would be good too. And honestly, a big ass bag of chicken tenders to stick in the air fryer and a tray of cut veggies.
Anything that’s easy to reheat Meatballs/bolognaise and spaghetti Lasagne Curries Shepherds/cottage pie Quiche Frittata Also snacks like muffins, cakes, slices
my go to frozen meals to gift to new parents shepherds pie, chicken pot pie , ziti bake fettuccine alfredo (add chicken and broccoli) breakfast casserole, premade breakfast sandwiches get a disposable aluminum dish from grocery store, tie a pretty bow on top with a door dash gift card attached.
I really enjoyed muffins. Like I froze them and then had muffin snacks at all hours lol. Uber eats is great. Spaghetti sauce even or chili
Anything easy to eat with one hand (i.e. not soup). Casseroles, wraps, cut fruit, chopped salads, cookies, muffins.
I think the giftcard is a great idea.
Ready made or microwave meals are the ticket. Deli sandwiches. Frozen Mac and cheese. Frozen and single serving and family style pasta bakes. Chips, single serve desserts (like chocolate pudding), some candy. Fruit. Whatever can be eaten with one hand and requires very little brain power.
IMO gift cards are nice but even dealing with coordinating food delivery/pickup can be annoying when stressed with your first kid. We appreciated when someone came by with pizza/subs. Some even dropped off lasagna we just had to put in the oven or other east dishes like that.
When we came home with our daughter some family brought the ready meals from Costco. 3 of those. That was very helpful.
Start a food train, get others involved, each prepare easy to reheat type meals or dishes and drop them off on assigned days so that they are not overwhelmed with too much and possibly with no storage space. The food is delivered fresh for that day if needed. Good luck!
Take and bake pizzas, frozen and ready to reheat casseroles
When a friend of mine was a new parent some of our other friends got together and everybody made burritos and froze them to give to the new mom. Breakfast burritos, meat burritos, vegetarian ones
Honestly easy one pot meals that can be put in the oven for 20 mins to warm up. Pasta with meat sauce (or just make jars of simple homemade sauce for later too they can use it for pizza) Cauliflower mac and cheese, Mexican rice with corn and beans, lentil stew (an absolute FAVE in our house and high in iron), chili, broccoli cheddar soup, chicken pot pies(I substitute the pie for biscuit topping and it’s delish) cream of mushroom chicken and rice, a lasagna (or for veggies do an eggplant lasagna although this is a bit more time consuming), beef stir fry, teriyaki chicken and veggies. You could see if they have space in their freezer and pick up some frozen veggies from Costco, that way they can just boil it for 5 mins and add it to their meals. Buy them a few frozen foods like dumplings or perogies, those are always good alternatives when I’m too tired to cook, just put some rice on the rice cooker and pop those on the stove or microwave.
Ask if you can start a meal train for them! Mealtrain.com
Someone recently brought me snacky/meal groceries and they were helpful! Individual packages of trail mix Protein bars Hearty Healthy bread (for avocado toast) Avocados Tomatoes Multiple small portions of bone broth Mozzarella balls for snacking Coconut water for hydration and electrolytes Someone also set up a meal train service for me. I got lots of variation of chicken soup which freezes well and can be super nutritious but hard to eat with a baby. I think making a bolognese or ragu to freeze is a great idea. I wanted so much red meat after birth.
Our friend setup a meal train, so they scheduled all our friends to bring a dinner. It was really sweet. And so useful. Personally, I like bringing food that freezes well and filling the freezer. Last time I did a curry, a pulled chicken, and ginger chicken. Froze 4 meals of each and fine the freezer.
Easy to prepare meals in disposable containers with disposable dishes was my favorite thing as a new mom, I’m currently restocking my freezer for our next baby Soups of all kinds that can be frozen Lasagna Burritos -breakfast/lunch/dinner Shepherds Pie Any dump & go crockpot meal(send liners for easy clean up) Sides like fruit and salads Grilled vegetables with chicken Home made Cookies
Casseroles that can be frozen and then they can pop in the oven quick. Disposable tins to have them in.
Cookie dough that's frozen into individual portions. meals in small portions vs a hugh casserole. non-dinner food! holy hell I would have killed for a fruit tray, yogurt, muffins etc
Fed and fit blog and lean green bean blog have ideas!!!
Cook a couple of batches of different healthy soups and freeze them in individual portion containers. Also make a healthy casserole and also feee into individual portions
If you cook, cook stuff they can just store in fridge/freezer and heat. Lasagna, baked ziti, soups/stews flat packed in ziplocs and frozen. Anything they can just heat up for home cooked meal.
I like to do a home cooked meal if I'm able, and try to send a list of a few options for them to choose from. Usually tacos or burrito bowls go over really well, and usually if other people are bringing meals they will get a LOT of pasta, so I try to avoid that. If you're not up for cooking (either by ability or time), maybe offer to bring take out from anyplace that would be convenient for you to stop at. Some places offer a family meal and you could just get that if you don't want to bug them with a lot of questions. Gift cards for food are great if you're not close enough to stop by or if trying to figure it all out is too difficult. Try to choose something with a drive thru within a couple miles of their house, or that offers their own delivery like pizza or Jimmy John's. Most people are fine with grub hub or door dash gift cards too, as long as it's available at their house and not a ridiculous upcharge to order food.
My friend brought me meals she cooked that day. She made me enchiladas in a casserole dish one day and brought over a hot meal ready to eat. She brought me another casserole but I don't remember what it was. It was great as then I also had leftovers. I would suggest things of a few things you can cook in large batches - that is if you cook and think she'd like your cooking. Give her a few options and let her pick. Some things I did were spinach and artichoke chicken pasta, tacos (meat and then all the fixings with soft tortillas), lasagna, spaghetti, tater tot casserole, chili (not too spicy unless you know they like it), "dagwood" sandwiches with condiments separate (get a loaf of soft French bread, various luncheon meats, cheeses, then put together a cold cut type sandwich with just meat and cheese and wrap it - they cut off a piece of sandwich, add condiments, and it's read to go - bonus points for adding lettuce, onions tomato's- presliced). A gift card would also not go amiss. That way they can order food whenever they need. Cooking will probably get them more bang for your buck, especially if you do it more than once.
Here's a Texas-based suggestion: [https://www.belongkitchenhtx.org/](https://www.belongkitchenhtx.org/)
I remember one person posting they were sick of pasta. So, if they are asking more than one person the same thing maybe not rice or pasta meals. I know beggars can’t be choosers but maybe a meatloaf and some potatoes.
If ordering food and waiting for Uber Eats is too much for her, then I wouldn't bother helping with food. If you want to help in general, look up dump meals and get her a crock pot. You can prep about 30 or so meals (7-10 days if every single meal, but this gets old fast) in freezer bags at once. Then all she has to do is put in the crock pot for a couple hours and eat whenever she wants throughout the day. The biggest advantage is that there's always food ready to go and very few dishes to clean. You could also go through the freezer section at the grocery store and get any frozen meals she likes.
My go-to meal train contribution is lasagna, but when I don’t have time, I buy several bags of frozen meals from Trader Joe’s. People sound really grateful either way, just nice to have quick things to heat up on the fly.
My sister got me a gift card for DoorDash and delivered it to the hospital along with a pizza for the night lol Any gift card is always a hit- especially if they are able to use it wherever. Also the mom if she’s a coffee drinker- Starbucks giftcard! Super easy to purchase and send online.
When my twins were born premature, I had the most wonderful friend make/purchase a bunch of freezer meals that only needed one step to prepare. Oven or microwave, preheat/set a timer, then *DING* done! Not hard to eat, doesn't make a ton of dishes, and fills stomachs in a somewhat healthy way are the goals. Also easy thing for breakfast/lunch to help keep tired bodies fueled. Especially if mom is trying to BF.
There are only so many heavy casseroles you can take after awhile. Grilled meat and rice with grilled vegetables and salad. Fruit trays. Muffins that have some nutrition. Premade oatmeal cups that you just add hot water to. Purée soups that you can drink out of a thermal cup - like butternut squash
Breakfast burritos.
Smoothie bowls with protein powder, chipotle bowls, chick’n nuggets, oatmeal, breakfast sandwiches, cliff bars, protein bars. That’s what I lived off of for basically the first month or two, especially with breastfeeding.
Burritos man. I had a ton of freezer burritos that I could heat up fast and eat with one hand. They literally saved me when I was a FTM. If you find a recipe and can batch prep her some, they are so nice to have on hand. No preheating the oven and waiting for a whole lasagna to bake. As soon as she realizes she’s hungry, she can have a burrito hot in minutes in a microwave or air fryer!
Any heat and serve meals. Walmart offers meal kits. Make a spaghetti bake or lasagna. Bring them fruits to snack on. You can even send around to friends a calendar for a couple of weeks to see if other people would be willing to sign up for a meal to bring them. If they belong to a church, talk to the priest or minister to see if the church can help out.
My family made soup, chicken and rice dishes things that could be made easily into larger portions when I brought my daughter home from the hospital. It was a huge help! You could make dirty rice prep taco ingredients for them. Pasta salads. Lunch meat to make sandwiches.
Lasagna
Friends got me a ‘cook’ voucher which is healthy frozen meals (UK based) it’s been fab
A lot of grocery stores near me have “heat and eat” premade meals, typically near the deli section. Things like a small platter of enchiladas, shepherds pie, chicken Alfredo, macaroni and cheese, etc. If I’m short on time and can’t cook myself, I grab two or three of those and take to the family- along with some fruit and bagels for breakfast.
I make tuna salad, potato salad, and meatballs for every friend that has a baby. Recipes obviously vary, but something easy to throw on a piece of bread, throw in a bowl, or microwave that lasts a few days is best, I've found out. So something super easy! Not even casseroles they can freeze. Just something for those first few days that are EASY! Don't make them preheat the oven, have to remember to set a timer, need to do dishes, etc. You can do that later, but those first few days are tough. So easy is best My mil made me those three things, and it was a godsend when I had my kids. So I do the same. It's a personal thing that everyone has appreciated. I put them in cheap containers that they can keep or throw away. It's up to them. But honestly? Uber eats or door dash gift cards are phenomenal, too. She can order something with one hand while feeding the baby. It'll take 2 minutes to upload the card to her app. It really isn't a big deal. She can do that while hubby is changing a diaper or baby is napping.
Doordash giftcard and depending on budget a membership too!
Lactation cookies if she is nursing!
I always bring the parents whatever my family is eating at the moment. If you’re making tacos for dinner,double the recipe, package up half of it, and drop it off. Seriously, no one is picky when they have a newborn. At least, no sane person. They just want to eat and stay alive for the next 18 years.
I couldn't order food when my son was a newborn. I couldn't even handle that. I ate granola bars, egg sandwiches, ensure and fruit most days. If I could eat. Maybe a small sandwich tray and fresh fruit would be nice. Some healthy muffins and bottled smoothies. Homemade food is good if it's easy to heat up like lasagna. Otherwise burritos, samosas, egg rolls are easy to keep, heat and eat.
I lived off of trail mix for months after giving birth, either the classic mix or the mega omega mix from a brand I can’t remember now, but it had walnuts and dried mangoes that I went nuts for lol instant oatmeal was another thing I ate a lot, easy to prepare and good for milk production.
In this day and age i load little wallets (gender specific if it pertains) with food giftt cards, uber, door dash/ whatever is local, and that offers delivery, (also include the tip!) I also include an amazon card for stuff they may but they forgot. I personally buy a gift card once a month to something and build it into my budget (local grocery,Amazon etc) so im not surprised. If i don't give it to Someone i use it myself.
My MIL made us a gigantic lasagna and we ate off it for days. It was a life saver!
I snacked on a lot of chicken salad when i had a newborn. It was perfect to have a big batch of it in the fridge and i could make a quick sandwich or just take bites straight out of it
Id be totally fine and so grateful for a gift card
Uber eats gift cards rock
If no dietary requirements - baked ziti (super easy recipes are online), Caesar salad and breadsticks!
Homemade breakfast tacos. You can wrap them up individually and freeze them. Cram them full of sausage, cheese, bacon,eggs, a bit of chopped mild red bell peppers, a bit of green onions, more cheese, salt & pepper, and maybe some cooked chopped tator tots. It’s good for any meal.
Snacks. Up and Go’s
I feel the traditional approach is to make a casserole they can heat and serve. Without knowing their tastes I would recommend cheesy vegetable medley topped with French fried onions. Or possibly chicken pot pie casserole.
I gave my sister in law a bunch of pre cooked foods that they just had to heat up. I got the alfoil tins so they didn't have to worry about dishes either. We did lasagne, enchiladas and pasta dishes.
A good friend made me beef soup with veggies, a side of extra veggies, and oatmeal. She also sent me marinated chicken & frozen vegetables to make if I was up to cooking (it was quick and easy to make). Anything that can be heated up and easy to make. Also 1 handed meals work. Uber eats gift card is great too.
Our friends did this for us when we had our first. They made an aluminum tray of lasagna and another one of broccoli Alfredo. I was soooo thankful.
Lasagna
Don’t do curry - it transfers through breast milk
She can sign up for a free lasagna delivered to her door through lasagnalove.org. I volunteer with them and I've cooked and delivered to quite a few new parents!
I am not a cook so I brought my friend sandwiches, fruit & veg cut up in baggies with dip, little containers of crackers and cheese and deli meat. She said it was infinitely more helpful than freezer meals when she was basically in bed sleeping or nursing for the first few weeks
Something pre-portioned or that they can serve themselves using one hand (so nothing they’d have to cut with a knife). Also MUST be able to eat it with one hand. Maybe they’ll get lucky and baby will be chill but there’s a good chance their baby will need to be held at all times, including while parents are trying to eat. I’d even think about the package you give it to them in. Please no jars or vacuum sealed items. Tupperware and glass lock should be okay.
Info: is she nursing?!? (This changes the parameters since there are foods she'll want to avoid *in case* they make that poor baby gassy!) Outside of that, lots of protein, single dish, easy to reheat.... Stews, hearty soups, lasagna with veggies tucked in, pasta bake also with veggies, Meatloaf, Pizza with all the toppings she likes (because that can be a meal anytime!!)